Breaking down Kevin Gausman's debut

May 24, 2013

Eric KarabellESPN Senior Writer

ESPN contributor on TV, radio, podcasts, blogs, Magazine

Charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame

Author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments"

So many eyes in the real and fantasy baseball world were on young Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman Thursday night as he made his much-awaited big league debut in Canada against the Toronto Blue Jays. Gausman, the team’s No. 2 preseason pitching prospect behind Dylan Bundy, and No. 26 overall on colleague Keith Law’s board in February, got the call after a mere eight starts at Double-A Bowie (3.11 ERA, 49 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings) but was deemed ready. It also didn’t hurt that the Orioles desperately needed rotation help, and hey, a quick promotion worked with Manny Machado a year ago, didn’t it?